Claims about offshore wind farms killing whales are unsubstantiated, scientists say
Since December, more than 23 whales have washed up dead along the east coast of the United States, leading wind energy skeptics to lay blame on the pending installation of offshore wind projects. But some scientists with the federal government say that there is no evidence to support those claims. Last year, the Biden administration sold six leases to produce wind from turbines off the mid-Atlantic coast, part of its effort to fight climate change by boosting production of clean, renewable energy. Some pundits and politicians have concluded that preconstruction activity on new wind turbines has resulted in an increase in the death of whales. Clean Ocean Action has joined Republican New Jersey Reps. Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew to demand a suspension of wind development. >click to read< 11:32
I am proud of the mayors, state and federal legislators who have taken the time to read the science that shows a direct impact including mortality on marine mammals by the industrial offshore wind energy developers. Read the developers EIS, SEIS, or their LOA for exemption for the harassment (killing) of marine life.
Hi Lauren (That’s Lauren Gaches, the Director of NOAA Fisheries Public Affairs-
I’ve been following the dead whale situation from when it started to escalate in January of this year. And I’ve noticed a lot of what I will call indefiniteness coming from your agency regarding the causes. While everyone at NOAA/NMFS seems sure that there is no relationship between the recent hydroacoustic testing (and related activities) and what seems to be an abnormal increase in whale and other marine mammal deaths in New Jersey/New York waters, I haven’t been able to find any instance where anyone speaking for the agency has stated unequivocally that there is no connection.
I spent ten or so years as a (state level) bureaucrat, perhaps twenty years involved in fisheries research, and a large part of the thirty subsequent years dealing with state and federal bureaucrats. Much of that time, I like to think, I have spent honing my communication skills and that I’m fairly good with (English) words. Based on this I find it slightly unsettling to read these assurances by your NOAA/NMFS colleagues (and others) that there is no connection between the ongoing hydroacoustic testing and the coincident marine mammal mortalities, yet none them have, as far as I know, stated “on the record” that there is none.
Hence this note-and this question-to you. Why is that? If NOAA/NMFS has proof that there is no connection, let’s get it on the record. Then we can all move on.
Thank you very much for your attention,
Nils (Stolpe)”
I am very friendly with a former sonar instructor/operator who spent years deployed on submarines. When I posed the question to him asking if he thought that sonar was capable of killing a whale he sort of chuckled and asked me if I was kidding.
While sailors from the silent service are mum about sharing information, you can be assured that the capability of sonar to do immense damage to living creatures is very real.